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(No ModeL) G. J. EAMES.

CRBMATION FURNAGE.

No. 331,779. Patented Deo. 8,1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica CHARLES J. EAMES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CREMA-rloN-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,779, dated December8, 1885.

' Application led December 9, 1884. Serial No. 149,854. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. EAMEs, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCremation-Furnaces; and I hereby declare the following to be a clear,full, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in whichy Figurel is a front elevation showingthe end of the retort, the muftle-door, and the induction-pipes forcharging the retort with air or oxygen at the close of the process ofincineration. Fig. 2is avertical longitudinal section on the line :v fr,Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line y y, Fig. 2, showingthe fines for the products of combustion, Src., which lead to a suitablestack. Fig. 4 is a view of a fire-brick corpse-bed.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of cremation-furnaces, and hasfor its objects to protect the body during incineration from the directcontact of the dames and products of combustion, so that no extraneousmatter may become mingled with the ashes of the subject, to protect theashes of the subject during the nal stages from the drafts and currentsof the furnace proper, so that the same may not be disturbed; to providemeans for readily handling the corpse when introducing it into theretort, and for withdrawing and securing the ashes thereof, and toprovide means for expediting and insuring complete incinera tion.

To this end it consists in a retort or muffle having perforations in itstop, or top and end, above the body-line, said perforations tapering andwidest at the outer surface of the retort, so as to maintain more orless pressure in the retort, and in providing a hollowed reclay bed orplatform for the support of the corpse within the retort and thereception of the ashes.

There are minor novel details of construction which will hereinaftermore fully appear.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that othersskilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates the outer walls of the furnace, withinwhich, just below the crown or arch A', are longitudinal fines a,communicating by ports a with the fire-chamber B,surrounding the retortor mufde-chamber. The longitudinal iues a terminate in vertical finesa,arranged in the rear end wall of the furnace, and these in turndeliver into a common due, n.3, dotted line, Fig. 3, which leads to asuitable stack.

Within the re-chamber B, and spanning the same, are suitable arches, b,or equivalent supports for the retort, and below the same is arrangedthe grat-e Z1', which may terminate in a dead-plate or closed surface,b2, occupying a space of two or three feet below the front end of theretort or muffle D.

Below then fire-grate b is the ash -pit b3, which has its opening at therear end of the furnace, (or opposite from the retortdoor,) andsaidvopening is closed by a detachable or movable door, c, which can bewithdrawn to employ the natural draft of the furnace, or closed toemploy an artificial draft or blast," for which purpose the door isperforated and provided with a blast-pipe, C.

In the rear wall of the furnace just above the grate-level is a firingand charging door, E, for introducing fuel and kindling the iire inthefurnace, and at one or more levels above the same are smaller ports c,each closed by an appropriate stopper,which ports may be employed forfeeding in additional fuel when a suitable bed of coals has beenestablished on the grate-bars.

The fuel-doors, stoppers, 85o., may be luted np when closed, if desiredor found necessary.

D indicates the muffle or retort, which is preferably some nine (9) feet(more or less) in length, of D form, about thirty-six (36) inches Wideat the base, and thirty-two (32) inches in height, and perforated uponits upper surface above the body-line, as at d, and also by preferenceat its end, as at d. By the term body-line as used herein I mean theplane in which the body rests when in the retort. These perforations arepreferably tapering or wider at the outer surface of the retort than atthe inner, so as to maintain a pressure within the retort, but at thesame time permit IOO the expansion of the gases escaping from theretort, so that they may disperse and mingle With the contents of thefire-chamber and be consumed. I fmd that a diameter for the holes d d ofone-eighth to one-fourth inch atthe inner end, and from an inch to aninch and a half at the outer end serves the purpose intended very well.This retort or muffle is set in the furnace, as hereinbefore specified,with its mouth or open end at the opposite end of the furnace from thefiring doors, and its mouth is closed by a lid or cover, d2, providedwith a peep-hole, d3, through which the interior of the retort can beinspected, and a pipe or port, d4, through which air or oxygen can beadmitted or forced into the retort to- Ward the close of theincineration process.

F indicates the corpse bed or platform upon which the subject rests.This bed is formed of Va-slab of fire-clay or othery highly refractorymaterial-soapstone or similar substance- Which will resist high heats,-said slab hollowed upon its upper surface, as at f and having upon itsunder surface ball-grooves f for the reception of refractoryballs g.

The construction being substantially of the character before specified,the incineration of the subject will be conducted as follows: A firebeing built in the fire-chamber and urged either by the direct draft or-a blast until the retort D has reached the proper temperature, the bodyis placed on the refractory corpsebedand inserted in the retort, beingpushed to the inner or perforated end thereof. The cover of the retortis then applied and luted. The gases, &c., liberated and generated Willmaintain a limited pressure in the retort D, and, as they graduallyescape, Will be thoroughly disseminated through the products ofcombustion being burned therein, and passing with the Waste and noxiousgases through fines a a a3 to the stack. Toward the final stage of theprocess, which altogether will -not exceed an hour lor an hour and ahalf duration, air or oxygen may be introduced into the retort throughthe pipe or port d, which Will not only serve to preserve a pressure inthe retort and prevent the influx of products of combustion, but Willfurnish the means of completing the incineration, so that the ashes willbe of uniform character and color.

v If desired, disinfecting and bleaching gases may be introduced intothe retort through the pipe d4; but if there has'been a perfectineineration of the body, by the means hereinbefore specied, there willbe no need of further treatment.

When incineration is completed, the corpsebed F- can be withdrawnWithout Waiting for the retort to cool, as is now practiced, the ashesmay be gathered from the hollow bed, andthe bed and retort Will be readyfor the reception of another subject.

I have herein described the retort as set in a furnace using solid fuel;but it is evident that the retort and its adj uncts can be used inconjunction with furnaces employing gaseous fuel and Siemensregenerator-chambers ,without departing from the spirit of -myinvention.

Having thus set forth the nature, operation, and advantages of myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a furnace or rechamber, of a cremation-retorthaving aseries of perforations arranged above the bodyline of theretort, which perforations increase in diameter from the inner to theouter surface of the retort, and deliver into the firechamber,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. .A corpse-bed for cremation-retorts, consisting of a refractory slabhollowed out on its upper surface, substantially yas specified.

3. A corpse-bed for cremation-retorts, consisting of a refractoryv slabhollowed on its upper surface, and having ball-grooves on its undersurface, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4,. In a cremation-furnace, the combination, with` a retort or muffleperforated above the body-line, of a corpse-bed consisting of arefractory slab mounted and movable on refractory ball-rollers,substantially as and for the purposes specied.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in presence of two Witnesses, this 9th day of December, 1884.

CHARLES J. EAMES.

llfitnesses:

F. W. RITTER, Jr., C. J. EAMES, Jr.

